• Home
  • About
  • Categories
    • Wardrobe Capsules
    • What I Wore
    • How To Wear It
    • Casual Work Wear
    • Mom Style
    • Travel
    • Holidays
    • Trends To Try
    • Maternity Style
    • Thrifty Tips
    • Shopping
    • Beauty
  • Shop my outfits
  • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

Fashion Rules to Break: How to Wear Black and Brown Together

March 6, 2025 by Katie H.

Let’s discuss another out-of-date fashion rule that you may have been told: You can’t wear black and brown together. Have you ever been told this? Well today, I’m going to show you how to wear black and brown together!

*This post contains affiliate links.

I have never understood the reasoning behind not mixing brown and black in your outfits, but for some reason we have been letting this rule make us second-guess our outfits. It’s very similar to the black and navy rule that I discussed last year in my post: Fashion Rules to Break- How to Wear Navy and Black Together. Black and brown are both neutral colors that can be found in nature together. Would you even think that a dog or cat with black and brown fur don’t “go together”? Then why would you think an outfit with black and brown wouldn’t work?

Tips on How to Wear Black and Brown Together

When it comes to pairing black and brown together you will want to watch the undertones to help balance the two colors. Pairing rich warm browns like camel or cognac with black is an easy way to create contrast in your outfit with these 2 colors. I also like to play around with prints. Leopard or animal print is an easy way to tie in the brown and black combination.

You can also use accessories to tie together your outfits. I often carry a brown purse with a black outfit or add a brown belt. Black and brown outfits also look great when paired with a third neutral color, like denim or white. I love the contrast that the third neutral adds to the black and brown outfit. You can also mix these two colors when wearing another color. Black and brown really work with anything.

Here are some examples below of how I have mixed black and brown in my outfits.

Black and Brown Outfit Ideas

Denim with Black and Brown

how to mix black and brown in an outfit with cropped denim, black cardigan and brown accessories
how to wear black and brown outfit idea with black jumpsuit and brown sandals and brown purse
how to mix black and brown in an outfit with all black outfit, tennis shoes and brown purse

Outfit 1 || Outfit 2 || Outfit 3

Brown Accessories with Black

how to wear black and brown outfit idea with black sweater dress and brown suede boots
how to wear black and brown outfit idea with tan accessories and black pants
how to wear black and brown outfit idea with black turtleneck and brown suede boots

Outfit 1 || Outfit 2 || Outfit 3

White with Black and Brown

mixing brown and black outfit ideas with white denim, brown sandals and black top
how to wear black and brown outfit idea with black jeans, black loafers and brown sweater

Outfit 1 || Outfit 2

Color with Black and Brown

how to mix black and brown outfit idea with black jeans and tan booties
how to mix black and brown outfit idea with black tights and boots and brown coatigan
how to mix black and brown in an outfit with burgundy pants and black long sleeves top

Outfit 1 || Outfit 2 || Outfit 3

Leopard Print with Black and Brown

how to mix black and brown in an outfit with all black outfit and tan coat
how to mix black and brown in an outfit with leopard print skirt and black cardigan
how to wear black and brown outfit idea with tan blazer and leopard ballet flats

Outfit 1 || Outfit 2 || Outfit 3

Signature
Fashion Rules to Break: How to Wear Black and Brown

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailHow to Wear Brown Chelsea Boots Default ThumbnailFashion Rules to Break: White Pants After Labor Day Default Thumbnail35 Week Baby Bump Update

Filed in: Fashion Tips, How to Wear it, Style Tips, Uncategorized • by Katie H. • Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Thrifty Wife Happy Life Profile picture

Hi I'm Katie! Welcome to my blog! I am on a mission to help women build a wardrobe that they love without spending a lot of money doing it. I believe that everyone has the right to feel good in their outfit, no matter what your budget is! I am excited to have you here!
About me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Follow me

Amazon favorites

Search

Archives

Disclosure

This blog contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link I earn a small commission.  For more information click HERE!  Thank you for your support!

Follow

@thriftywifehappylife

thriftywifehappylife

Affordable everyday petite (5’1) mom style
A mix of affordable retailers + thrifted fashion
👨‍✈️Wife + Mom of 2 💙💗
💌 katie@thriftywifehappylife.com

What I wore this week as a 40-year old mom of 2! What I wore this week as a 40-year old mom of 2! 

The weather had been terrible this week 😩 So I basically wore my go-to comfort outfit combo all week long— thrifted jeans + cardigan/sweater + ballet flats. 

How is the weather where you live this spring?? 

🛍️Comment OUTFITS and I will send you the link to all my daily outfits! 

#dailyoutfit #realoutfit #thriftedstyle #momstyle #momoutfits #momfashion #wiwtw
My Mom-Friendly Summer Capsule Wardrobe is LIVE on My Mom-Friendly Summer Capsule Wardrobe is LIVE on the blog! ☀️

✨See all 96 outfits in blog post!! Outfit reel coming soon!! 

🛍️Comment SUMMER and I will send you the
link to the blog post!! 🔗https://thriftywifehappylife.com/2025/05/effortless-summer-mom-capsule-wardrobe-2025/

#capsulewardrobe #summercapsule #momoutfits #momstyle #summerstyle #effortlessstyle #affordablefashion
What I wore then vs. What I wore now I have alway What I wore then vs. What I wore now

I have always loved cardigan sweaters. Lately I’ve been wearing them buttoned up, which is an easy way to update the style and wear it in a new way! 

🛍️ Comment LINK and I will send you the shopping link to the updated outfit! 🔗https://liketk.it/5erRV

#whatiworethenvsnow #outfitideas #updatingmillenialoutfits #updatingoutfits #whitepants #cardiganoutfit
If you are over spending money this school year, b If you are over spending money this school year, but still want to send in a little end of the year appreciation gift to your kid’s teacher then this $5 gift idea is a perfect! 

@walmart has these cute little faux plants for under $5! I googled these free printable tags and used some left over Christmas ribbon to make these cute little end of year teacher gifts. 🪴

🛍️Comment TEACHER GIFT and I will send you the shopping links to this post! 🔗https://liketk.it/5emTs

#teacherappreciation #teachergift #walmartgifts #walmartfinds #giftsunder5 #affordablegifts
Field trips, field day, park day… if you’re lo Field trips, field day, park day… if you’re looking for a cute casual outfit to wear to any of these places, this is a great go-to! 

This top has a built in bra which is so convenient and comfortable! Skirt has built in shorts! Both are super easy to accessorize! 

🛍️Comment LINK and I will send you the shopping link to this post! 🔗https://liketk.it/5edIb

#amazonfinds #amzonstyle #fieldtripoutfit #momootd #momoutfits #momstyle
Amazon vacation dresses 👗 🌴 I’m loving al Amazon vacation dresses 👗 🌴

I’m loving all these beautiful dresses from @gracekarin_brand! These will all be coming on vacation with me this summer!! Which dress is your favorite? 

🛍️Comment DRESS and I will send you the shopping links to this post! 🔗https://liketk.it/5e77Y

#vacationdress #amazondresses #gracekarin #gksummer #gracekarinstyle #affordablefashion #amazonfinds #outfitideas #vacationstyle
I’ve been doing a lot of outfit brainstorming fo I’ve been doing a lot of outfit brainstorming for my cruise vacations coming up next month! That’s why  today on the blog I am breaking down some outfit ideas for all the different places you need outfits for on a Caribbean cruise! 

✨Comment CRUSE and I will send you the link to my blog post with all the outfit details! 
💻🔗https://thriftywifehappylife.com/2025/05/cruise-wardrobe-what-to-wear-for-a-caribbean-cruise/

#cruiseoutfits #cruisevacation #vacationoutfits #resortwear #momstyle #affordablestyle
What I wore this week as a 40-year old mom of 2! What I wore this week as a 40-year old mom of 2! 

This week we finally got some warmer weather which meant I could take my outfit pictures outside! But that was short lived because it’s cold and rainy again 😩

Let me know what day is your favorite! 

🛍️Comment OUTFITS and I will send you the shopping links to all my daily outfits! 

#dailyoutfits #momstyle #momoutfits #outfitideasforyou #momootd #sahmstyle
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2025 · Thrifty Wife Happy Life